So I said I would update everyone on my life a bit more throughout the year so, hopefully, now is a good time.

Excercise/Healthy

So I feel like I haven’t done much on this front. I’ve been trying to take my lunch a few more times a week, which I guess is somewhat of an improvement but otherwise nothing too new here. I feel like in this category, I’ve laid out a lot of plans but have executed much. I know I’m planning on working on adaptations of this workout and my new place should be big enough to start running/walking a bit more.

Apartment/Independence

I got a new place in Stillwater! No more commuting for me. I’ll miss not paying rent but I know it will be good to have my own place and space to do with as I please. I’ve been slowly packing up my things and sorting through everything that I want to keep or leave/throw away/donate. It’s a good spot that’s not too college based and is a bit bigger than my last place for a better price too.

Professional

No side hussle yet but work is going well. I feel like I’m pushing myself to look at things differently for both different platforms and audiences. I’ve been working with many different departments and events so it’s been a good way to get to know people. You can look at some of my new work in the OSU Business section of my Work tab.

Finances

This is somewhat going well. I’ve been steadily paying off any debt I have for the last few months. I’m taking a brief break from Twine as my paycheck fluctuates due to back logged retirement installments. I haven’t touched that account though. I’ve also started an Albert fund and an Acorns account. (The Acorns link provides you and me with an additional $5 for the referral when you sign up!) Both work similarly to Twine, where they take a predetermined amount from your account, and grow from there. Albert takes funds as needed so, its not as structured as Twine but still helps you budget and save for future priorities. Acorns is an investment account and can take a predetermined amount every month as well as extra cash. It tracks your everyday purchases and rounds up to the nearest or adds another dollar. When the extra change reaches $5, it takes it out of your account. Both accounts are free and have been a great addition to my finances in my opinion.

Otherwise, not many updates to speak of. Just wanted to check in with the few people who read my blog and thought it’d be a good time in my day to do it. Until next time!

So I’ve watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo a few times. Count it: three times.

Since many of my friends and family could probably benefit from tidying their life, whether it’s been a goal for the new year or they just need a fresh start, these are a few of my thoughts on Marie Kondo’s products.

The Book

I’ll be honest, I haven’t read the book. I have the book but haven’t cracked open to the title page as of yet. That being said, I’ll hopefully read it to get the complete experience and be able to implement some of Kondo’s methods when I move into my own place.

However, I do see the book as an easy read. It’s compact and hardback so it’d make great mobile, bathroom or leisurely reading. I wouldn’t read the book or watch the show while doing your own de-cluttering though. I think the best way is to have a sort of plan of attack for tackling your mess. It’ll give you the chance to formulate the steps and give your undivided attention to each category Kondo outlines in process.

The Series

It might only have 8 episodes that are about 30 minutes each but when watching them all together (or at least a few at a time) produces such a sense of calm and accomplishment. All from the comfort of eating messy takeout in your cluttered house.

With the Netflix series being so short, I can only guess at how or if they continue to produce more episodes. Kondo went over many of her techniques throughout the series which leaves me to wonder how many others she can incorporate through more episodes. That’s not to say it couldn’t be something similar to a TLC or HGTV show, like Say Yes to the Dress or Fixer Upper, but the way it is currently formatted doesn’t leave her much room to continue without contributing those new ways of storing or folding. Unless she keeps with the mini-series format, she might not be able to produce much more content without restructuring the shows dynamic.

Viewers

The rest of my family refuses to watch the show. My sister has a problem with seeing clutter, even though they are fixing the clutter. My mom just won’t watch it. I haven’t polled the rest of the family but my brother would probably not be interested and really have no opinion on if my other sister would want to watch it. I was able to get my boyfriend to watch an episode or two but he has such sparse belongings here in Oklahoma that he doesn’t really need or can connect to the premise of the show.

That being said, I’ve heard people rave about binge watching this show. I think many people associate with the cast concerning the amount of materials in ones home. I see her organization as minimalist but there is something refreshing about restarting your home with only the essentials, similar to The Downsizers.

Methods

I’m more likely to go through my clothes at the moment than anything else. There are a few things I don’t wear or don’t enjoy wearing within the last few years. Other than that, while I’m still at home, I haven’t been able to look through my collection of things but I think that once I move it’ll be a great starting point to not feel as cluttered and messy.

I tend to stay pretty organized, but I also tend to like to be frivolous. I have a collection of mugs from trips and an assortment of books that litter my room and bookshelf. Besides those, I feel like I most benefited from From Students to Improvements, where the main concern was just consolidating and weeding things out to move a space into adulthood rather then college adolescence.

Overall, I gained a sense of calm from Marie Kondo’s series and methods. It was the organization I didn’t know I needed. I’ve started to incorporate her saying with many things to get me through the day and numerous decisions that I make throughout it.

So I’ve been wanting to write a post but not sure what to write about. So here’s an update on my goals for the year:

Pay off debt

I’m set to pay off two of my credit cards by the end of February. While I still have two other cards that are about maxed out, I’m trying my best to be patient and look into other streams of revenue and figure out ways to cut back my own expenses. One of the biggest items I can cut back is eating out. It becomes so easy to do this on, at or on my way back to work.

Building a savings/emergency fund

I’ve at least started a savings fund. This has been helped by two things.

The first I want to bring attention to an easy to use app: Twine. I have a savings fund set up through the app to withdraw $25/week. I can increase or decrease the amount I want to save for along with my regular contributions. It’s also a good app to save for trips and investments. I like it because it’s out of sight out of mind.

I also started another bank account that I have access to but is separated from my general funds. I like this because, like Twine, it’s out of state, out of mind. I can build up a separate cash flow if anything happens to my car or medical expenses.

Gyms

I’ve been looking at gyms in the area. I am looking at Crossfit Stillwater but am finding the right time financially to commit to it. I could go to the university gym but I don’t trust myself to have that much of a self disciplined routine. Crossfit Stillwater would be able to give me small class sizes, affordable, and structured workout routines.

Side hussle

So I’ve been looking at potential freelancing opportunities. Most of them have been for magazines, but I’ve also been looking at graphic design prospects. I’ve also really been interested in creating my own blog for various things like affiliate links, art projects, and similar projects. I have created a blog before without much success so I’m not sure how I would feel about doing another.

Basically, this is what I have worked on so far. I’m still trying to piece together what I can do to save for more expensive projects and being more independent.

So it’s almost Christmas, and subsequently, almost New Year’s as well. I usually do a post to round up my year and maybe put a few resolutions in to spice things up. I did post my resolutions in That time of year, so I’ll just be reminiscing in this one.

This year, I had a bit more time and, as my coworker informed me, Friday, December 21, happens to be ugly sweater day. So in light of that information, I’ve made a graphic depicting some of my accomplishments this year.

I’ve been working as a graphic design with the Spears Business School’s Marketing and Communication department for about four weeks now. So far, it’s been a good learning experience with my design process and creativity. Everyone has been great in welcoming and assisting me in learning my new role.

My coworkers and managers have been helpful and engaging when finding me projects to start on and push me to create new things. Everyone has been laid back but productive and efficient in their work and responses on projects that I have collaborated on. I’m still learning the equipment which should be interesting, however, they aren’t too new of an experience.

I’ve enjoyed my time so far, so I hope that I’ll have many more updates to share!

Over the last few months, I’ve been interviewing like crazy for the right position. So, I decided to give a few tips that help me see into the position and determine if I’d be a good fit into the company.

Where does the position focus its efforts?

I know I have a primary focus with print publications so I tend to focus on positions that will work well with that skill set. That does not to mean that I don’t look beyond those skills, but I know where my strengths lie. I tend to ask what the primary focus would be within the first one to three months of hire to be sure I can handle the role.

What drew you to the city for the job?

I went across the country for my first job and it was great for the time being. I knew it would help me be independent and develop my own routine. Going to Madison after college was an awesome experience. Asking about aspects of the city from people already there, especially if you are going out of state or the country, is a good resource to utilize on top of researching the position, city and company beforehand.

How do you see this position developing?

Like the first question, I want to see how the position might develop and, by expansion, how I might expand my skill set. I want to know I want stay too stagnant in my professional aspirations. I want to be able to do the skills but also still be able to grow and experiment with my skills.

Why did you decide to go to X, Y, and Z company/university/etc.?

I think this question can lead to many pertinent aspects of the position overall. I think it helps to tell how the department functions, as many people on the hiring department will usually interact with the candidate of the position pretty regularly. It also gives you a brief background of their own work and how they might function and process things.

Is there anything in my application or resume that is lacking for the position?

I like asking this question because, again, it tells me what the department would potentially want to focus on but also to see where I could improve more in my skills. Professional experience is important but that’s not to say that you can’t learn other skills outside of that on your own. I’m a big advocate in learning as you’re going. Learn how to code, illustrate, layout, etc. Do whatever you feel is potentially a weakness for employers and don’t let them see it as one.

I know there are many questions people think about asking at the end of an interview but these are only a few that I enjoy.

So for those of you not in-the-know about my daily life, I've recently completed my third degree program! I finished up my Bachelor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May and have been trying to hit the ground running concerning the job hunt.

I learned a lot while living in Madison. Not just about art and graphic design but also a lot about living on my own and the sometimes 'dreaded' aspect of being an adult. I had many firsts while away from Oklahoma:

Solo apartment

Moving experience

Death in the family

Occupational stability

Financial stability

... among many others that I'm not recalling I'm sure. Madison allowed me the space to develop as a person and I'm glad to have called it my first adventure away from home.

That being said: it was also really isolating at times. I was a 15-hour drive and at least 5-hour, $300 flight away from my immediate family and an 11-hour drive from my extended family. The distance took its toll which helped me make the decision to come back home, even without a job offer in my field straight away.

So as of now, I'm still job hunting but not remaining idle. I know my situation at the moment isn't ideal for anyone in the same boat but its still a paycheck as I look for better opportunities closer to home. I've been trying to expand and work on various creative pursuits so that's been helpful.

So for whatever reason, this post has been one of my biggest hurdles of the summer. I started school in January (Go Badgers!), but I have yet to make a "I-finished-the-semester-in-one-piece" post. I've opened the same draft multiple times to just close a blank template over and over again. I've tried blaming summer classes, work, trying to socialize, etc. but it seems like I'm just putting off something that I once found pretty easily done at one time.

To try combating this procrastination, I've turned to my most trusted go to: reading. I've been reading a blog, Smart Twenties, and have been really trying to figure out how to stay consistent and motivated. It's still a work in progress but it's been a big help in giving encouragement. My library has expanded a bit more than I'd like to admit (mostly for my wallet's sake), but each book seems to help a bit more for me to figure out what I'm wanting to do with my life and make said life a bit more enjoyable. If you're looking for a good read, You are a Badass at Money and its counterpart, You are a Badass, are both pretty good. The vocabulary makes it really easy to read and the voice is relatable as well, especially for younger readers (if the profanity didn't pull them in at first glance that is).

I've also been trying to look into art as a motivation as well. Since starting school in January, I've been looking into a wide array of artists and designers that have both changed the art world and my own views and outlook as an artist and human being. One of my favorites has been Alan Kitching. (The preceding link is a great book full of his pieces that is up for sale but also a great way to learn about the artist as well.) His work in letterpress is revolutionary and colorful. Other artists are Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. Both are pretty well known in the art community and deal a lot with the use of materials as art rather than creating a narrative through art.

I feel like I have done a lot of growing these last six months so I'm hoping the next six will be just as lucrative if not more so. Hopefully I'll be able to post a few of my projects that I've worked on through the year and you'll really see how busy I've become! Until next time!

And those are some of the most important things in my life. Let alone other members of my family's that have impacted me.

It's been a lot to take in over the last two years. I wished I had realized how long it had been since I had written for the people who might take a glance on here every once in a while.

I know not writing on here has been a setback for me but I also know emotionally, it was a good break to start processing all the changes that have been going on, especially when my dad died. Hopefully, I'll be able to get into doing again. Maybe even better than I did originally. That's not really that hard to beat but I can dream right?

Anyway, just an update as to why I've been MIA for so long. Everyone should hold me to writing this about once a week, what do you all think?

So I've been busy this semester if anyone is still keeping up with me at this point. Most of my time was taken up with Mag Staff last semester at Vox magazine and this semester is no different with Publication Design but much less stressful. The class allows me to be more creative in my opinion and still allows me to have a bit more structure than being an editor was at the time.

As I have started finishing my school career for the time being, I started to look into some older posts from the last year (which have been fewer than I had hoped for) but I looked back specifically on my goals that I had set for myself in September. Out of the three, I at least conquered two of them (Wahoo!) and the third, while it won't happen by the deadline I gave myself, it is on my horizon. Hopefully I'll be able to accomplish it when I'm not stressing over enormous amounts homework or classes to attend. I'm still juggling just as many jobs that probably equal the same amount as a full-time occupation at this point (without getting paid a monetary salary for all of them) so transitioning to an "adult" job might not be that different in terms of the hours, just a different workload depending on where I go into.

Looking back at my time at MU has been an immensely positive experience that I can't believe I survived. The journalism program along with all of the activities I've been involved in over the years has been a struggle at times but because of the people I've been able to meet and the memories I've acquired, I couldn't have asked for a better four year. I especially couldn't have done it without Hannah Pederson or Ashley Reese for keeping me sane over schoolwork and helping me remember to have a day off for some fun once in a while. My parents and family are always awesome by lending an ear to listen, an arm for a hug or an account with money in it for whatever I might need when expenses were overwhelming.

When I noticed I only had an exact month until graduation yesterday, I didn't know what to make of anything. I'm still searching for a job in my field but I'm trying to remain positive and keep my options open to whatever I might find. I can't wait to walk across the stage though and finally accept my (fake) diploma and see all the work that I've done and accomplished over the last four years. It's been a wild ride but I couldn't be happier and more confident in my journalism career now that it is ending.

Hopefully I'll be able land a job in a the next couple of months that I can brag about next time!

So my last year has begun in full force. Work, Work #2, Magazine Staff, classes, Wishmakers. Lots to handle. I've been complaining a lot which I hope to remedy this semester and looking at the bright side of things. I don't think this is the case as of yet, but I consider it a good goal to keep in mind.

On that note, here are a few of my upcoming goals for the semester:

1. Survive Mag Staff.

This class is my capstone so go figure it would be difficult. It entails: pitching new stories weekly, blog posts weekly, production nights on Monday and Tuesday, five calendar events weekly, fact checking, editing and proofing accepted stories and weekly meetings with our beat members. Doing all the extra work outside of class has proven to be slightly difficult to manage with my other classes and work but I've gotten it done for the last three weeks so maybe now things will start coming together in a resemblance of a routine of sorts.

2. Lose 50 lbs.

This goal will span the whole year. I want to make sure I'm exercising and eating in a healthy manner. I started realizing how awful I am at eating junk food and doing physical activities. I mainly put it off to being too busy, and, while I am busy, this week has been a trial of sorts of when I can exercise throughout the week. It hasn't gone well but if I tweak it around and remember that each week can be moved around a bit, I think I'll be fine.

3. Going out more.

While I constantly run around, I always seem to be doing a chore of some sort. I understand that my senior year is important but I also want to have fun. Making a few poor decisions won't kill me. At least if I'm smart about them. Staying out too late is the least of my worries sometimes. Thankfully, I have some awesome friends to make sure my decisions don't totally suck.

I'll stick with these for now but who knows, maybe something interesting will pop up that I want to push myself towards.

Well, today is the day. I'm glad I got to go on my own little adventure this summer and man has it been one. I started out know no one here or my way around and I'm so glad I've had the help that I have around Dallas.

My internship was chaotic at times and slow during others but there was never a moment where I didn't think I was learning something. My managers and fellow interns have been so helpful about teaching me different aspects of the magazine business and how to become a better journalist. Whether it was just asking for directions or standards, someone always was there to help. Even if that meant calling my dad because my car had a problem while on assignment. Trust me, it happened a time or two.

I couldn't have learned as much without the help of my co-intern, Tory, or my managers, Kate, Hilary, Matt, Christine or Glenn. They are all truly amazing and willing to help anyone who is brave enough to ask. They want you to succeed and want you to grow in whichever direction you choose to go in.

I can't wait to start next semester but I will miss this summer experience quite a lot. All of my fellow interns did an amazing job this session and I'm so glad to have met each and every one of you!

Well, I haven't written in a while and since I started a new website generator, thanks to my photojournalism class, I'd thought I'd give everyone an update.

Not much has been going on at the moment but my internship has been a good new experience. Besides learning about journalism, I've learned a lot more about living on my own and managing my money. I think that's been the biggest personal change that I've had to go through with only one part time paycheck coming in. But I've managed with quite a bit of help from my parents, whom I will always be grateful towards.

On the magazine side of things, I've realized how much of it is reliant on blogs and websites. The majority of my work has been dealing with posting updates for real estate listings and writing articles based on press releases for the Real Estate Daily and Healthcare Daily blogs that are connected with DCEO magazine. (To see some of my clips, click here!) I feel like it's been productive to keep everyone mindful of the magazine's presence but never realized how much content was needed to producing it throughout the two month period between magazine issuances.

I do think it has been an eye opener as well to see how much interaction with the advertising and art departments have with the editorial side of the magazine. We have so many meetings between the departments that it makes it easier to see a clearer vision for what the company wants out of the magazine.

In terms of a social life, I feel like a bit of a dud. I'm either at the internship or at my job. And when I'm not at those I'm at home trying to sleep and catch up on a day of Bones and Castle reruns. Oh well. I have made friends at both places but nothing that really goes outside of the office. Plus when your so broke you can't even go to happy hour, it's probably a good idea to stay home anyway.

I have about two weeks to go with my internship and then it's straight back to Columbia. That will be a fun three days. Dallas to Edmond. Edmond to Columbia within about 50 hours or so. What a joy.